writers entered, but the judges did not like any of the plays and simply drew a winner at random (Sufrir por culpas ajenas by Eduardo Gallegos Celis); the four verse entries were better received, with a first and second prize awarded. The winner here was Qué mujer by Octavio Hernández, and the runner-up was En el borde del abismo by Manuel Antonio Marín. In 1928, the Governor of the State of Zulia, Vicente Pérez Soto, again announced a demolition and rebuild. The increased prosperity of the city, brought about by the development of the oil industry, and the resultant modernization of society, led Pérez Soto to want a building more in keeping with the city's enhanced status. The new theatre on this occasion was designed by and opened on 19 December 1932, the anniversary of Juan Vicente Gómez' coup. Specifications The theatre is in two halves: the first is the main theatre, featuring the stage, seating, and restrooms; the second is the public area, with a smoking area and restaurant. The seating consists of stalls at floor level and a raised circle, for a capacity of 3,000. Externally, the facade has design features which have been described as art nouveau by the Venezuelan heritage board, including the balustrades and large arches in relief with detailing in iron above the entrance. It has a gable roof made of zinc with trusses. The structure also makes use of windows and large concrete latticework grilles to allow ventilation through the building to keep it cool; before this design, the theatre had made use of air ducts supplying cool air from an ice box with a fan in the basement. Attached to the theatre is a patio and a small pavilion in the same design. Internally, there are extensive paintings and frescoes across the walls, ceilings and columns in an art deco style by Antonio Angulo, an artist from Zulia, who also designed light fixtures. The curtain was donated by the Spanish government for the 1932 opening, and was designed by César Bulbena. Monument and legacy The theatre was named a National Monument in November 1981. In terms of Venezuelan heritage listings, this is seen as the first step to becoming a World Heritage Site. From 1986 it underwent a long restoration, only re-opening in 1998. The restoration was led by Paolo D'onghia. During the restoration, D'onghia discovered the foundations of the original building,